http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UUBC8NoQgA Brian Scalabrine (he's on the Celtic roster, in case you never heard of him) says in a post game conference that he thinks Cleveland was a "great team". He gives a lot of credit to Mike Brown and LeBron James. Did Boston just raise their level of play several notches to dismantle this Lakers team, or did we underestimate how well the Cavs played them? Mike Brown gets a lot of crap, but he coached his team to the NBA Finals last year and got his team within a few minutes of eliminating a 66-win, eventual champion this year. Maybe he's doing something right that we don't notice?
I've always liked Brown. They had too many young mental errors down the stretch in Game 7. It didn't help to have Dan Gibson hurt either. I think they'll upgrade their roster again in the offseason and make it to the Conference Finals, playing Orlando or Boston.
I've thought about Cleveland's performance during these finals. I'm a Cavs fan, so I didn't want to bring it up and I know I'm biased. Here's my two conflicting opinions: Cleveland is one of the best defensive teams in the league. And it's pretty amazing Brown had them playing great defense after changing 3 starters midway through the season (yes, one of them is Wallace, but still...). As it turns out Lebron didn't suck so much...look at Kobe's performance. For all the talk that Lebron isn't clutch (people who still believe scouting reports from 2 years ago) he took the team on his back and would've won game 7....if it weren't for an equally phenomenal performance by Pierce. Conversely, I mentioned before the finals that it looked like the Celtics were actually starting to peak. They went 7 with a below .500 Hawks team. They barely won a 7 game series, this time against a great defensive Cavs team. Then they actually won 2 on the road against a more well rounded Pistons team in SIX. Clearly they were playing better each series, and it was against progressively better competition. So today I'm not as disappointed with the Cavs' and Lebron's performances as I initially was. But I think the Lakers faced a slightly better, more confident Celtics team. BTW didn't Scalabrine play as many minutes in the finals as I did?
Their roster is just as bad as we all think it is. LeBron is a great, almost transcendent player, but he's on a team with a few good role players and no one even close to being a star. The Spurs, Lakers, Hornets, Celtics, etc., all have 3 legit all-star caliber players and teams have to match that in order to truly compete.
I think Boston played down to Cleveland's level. They did the same with the Hawks. I also think LA played some of its worst ball since the Gasol trade and it wasn't all because of Boston's defense. *thread derail ahead* Gasol and Odom are going to choke more times than not no matter how much talent they have around them. 1st, 2nd or 3rd option it doesn't matter. Those two will find a way to disappear in big games. Kobe looked like he had given up as well. I didn't see the MJ-like fire he always gets credited as having.
Cleveland pushed Detroit to 7 two years ago(should have beat them in six but couldn't grab a defensive board in closing minute of that game), went to the Finals last year beating Detroit, and pushed the Celtics to 7 this year where LeBron was two minutes away from winning the series for them. Does every eastern team just play down to the Cavs level?
with a guy like lebron or kobe you're going to be able to score. the cavs focus is on defense while the lakers focus is on offense. clearly both teams did very well this season. against the celtics, the better defensive team faired more favorably. defense and rebounding always win.
Question - What, other than winning games, should he be doing? What would make you "notice" him more?
I am going to give a lot of the credit to lebron. Even when he is sucking if he isn't in the game the cavs can't do anything right.
Work the media. Show an identifiable "brand name" personality (examples: Pat Riley: slick 80s Gordon Gecko-type, Phil Jackson: Zen Master, Van Gundy: sleep deprived, sarcastic, Nelly: smallball drunkard, Larry Brown: Old School). NBA is an entertainment business. Mike Brown needs to find his niche, his superpower.
Then they have to say atlanta was a great team as well. Boston was nervous and they played down to their competition that series cs Cleveland
The Cavs have the best team basketball player in the league, and a good defense. There is no one individual more disruptive and relentless for a defense to contend with than Lebron. His passing, floor sense and understanding of his teammates more than makes up for the fact Kobe has a purer jumper. Maybe if Wade returns to 2006 form he has a case too, but major IF.
